C Spire, MSU collaboration forges an intriguing job training blueprint

Former Mississippi Gov.

William Winter, a lifelong advocate of advancing educational and jobs training opportunities, has often repeated this simple but cogent observation:

“The only road out of poverty and economic dependency runs past the schoolhouse door.”

Winter understood the important role that the educational system plays in the jobs pipeline.

In recent years, our state has witnessed substantive change as technological advancements and economic globalization have placed increased importance on innovation, creativity and new educational approaches at all levels in our state.

There are tremendous economic and job opportunities for people who live and work in places that quickly adapt to the new, digital economy. While some parts of the country are ahead of the curve in equipping the workforce of the future, there are many states, including Mississippi, that need to accelerate their efforts.

Technology and our U.S. economy are increasingly driven by software. Those who possess the knowledge, creativity and vision to program and manage software have an advantage over everyone else. Coding and software engineering are highly coveted skills that we need to stay competitive and build our future in a data-driven world.

The path to economic growth and enhanced opportunity in Mississippi's private sector must begin in elementary and secondary education and continue seamlessly through the workforce training capabilities of our stellar community college system and on to the research and development expertise of our higher education system.

Seizing on this opportunity, C Spire, a Mississippibased diversified telecommunications and technology services company, and the Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit's (RCU) new Center for Cyber Education have formed a public-private partnership called the C Spire Software Development Pathway.

The MSU Center for Cyber Education will build upon the RCU'S longstanding work in K-12 computer science education, teacher training and teacher recruitment. Under the three-year pilot program, C Spire and

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